Black Tie Lounge

Before I start my daily job search and before I devour this vegetable platter because it's lunch time, even before I write the long over due thank you cards to my mentor and his staff for letting me use their office space to conduct my job hunt I must blog. After about three weeks away from the city, I have returned for an interview--an informational interview to be more specific. I just got off the bus from D.C. and luckily it was right around the corner from where the office was. It feels good to be back in New York, even if it is for a brief amount of time. As the bus drove down Fashion Ave (7th Ave) toward Penn Station, I couldn't help but say to myself "I'm home!" New York has the ability to make every other city look like a town. New York's public transporation system makes every other cities' look slower, clearner, and less crowded--but I can't help but love it because New York's is more reliable. Shopping in New York makes every other pla...

I say I'm an aspiring sponge because there is so much more I can learn to soak up. I have been out of New York for about three weeks and if anything I am more knowledgeable about what is out there in terms of opportunities in the marketing communications field. My first choice is to get aboard with an agency but if I find an opportunity elsewhere I will do that. I have an interview back in New York on Thursday that I am preparing for. In preparation for it I read a chapter out of the Nature of Marketing by Chuck Brymer . I totally agree with his point that marketing now is about engaging communities. I think PR pros always knew that people create communities around issues rather than brands so to all my advertising buddies out there we need to take a deeper look at individual and community relationships in our strategies. Until I get to meet Chuck Brymer and have a conversation with him, I'll settle for reading his book. Since I'm on a budget, I was hoping to drop by the l...

So, I left New York! I thought I was walking in the unexpected when I came to the city with the hopes that my hustler's drive would land me an immediate opportunity. The opportunity came but it wasn't for me. I think I was a little too honest about myself in the interview. Either way, the lease ran up, no money was coming in and I decided to leave town to visit my ailing grandfather, of which passed away while I was on my way. My intent in blogging is not to vent about all of that though--I've got other ways to handle that one. Suprisingly, I'm not frustrated about my circumstance. I'm a bit anxious, but that nervousness will pass away as I get time to deeply evaluate what I want in this next phase of life. Truth be told, I was confident something would pop up for me even before I got the opportunity to work in New York. This summer, I learned more than I can write in one blogpost. My former media writing professor encouraged me to blog about it and I will as soon a...

I get so easily distracted. I'm trying my best to think clearly while there is a conversation being had outside the office I'm occupying. Yeah, I can close the door, but I think I'm going to fight through this one. Last night I was privileged to attend a meet and greet for Council Woman Inez Dickens at a investment banker friend I made out here in Harlem. Ms. Dickens is running for her second term and used the time to encourage about about 20 middle class black professionals in their mid 20's to 30's to get involved. The key take away for the evening was that I need to get involved and gain an understanding of how public affairs works in my community. Her charge was that there is no economic advancement without political advancement, which I agree with. She encouraged us not to forget about the underclass. Strickingly, the face of the black population is consistently characterized by those in poverty or fall into anti-social behavior while the black people that work...

I'm very optimistic right now. I've been unemployed for about 3 weeks but I have strickingly regained my sense of hustle back. I'm not complaining --to be honest I'm actually in a better position than before. Last week I got a chance to connect with some very senior people in the advertising and PR field. No they haven't dropped my name to get a management position, but they have been very helpful as far as directing me to agencies and careers that may be a good fit. It is amazing how willing senior level execs in this industry are to help a young brother like myself. I am lucky that they were even down to earth enough for me to feel comfortable around them. Imagine this, a CEO of his third corporation sitting down with you and telling you that he's having lunch with another CEO of the largest PR firm and that he is going to be intentional about finding something for you. Or how about hitting it off with someone that works for a major communications holding comp...

Lately, I've blogged quite a bit about what is happening to me professionally--mainly because that has been where 150% of my time has gone to. Well not exactly, but still it has been a big focus of where my time has gone to: working hard on the job, finding a job, and where my job will take me in the future. I'm definitely not so one dimensional. Before coming out here I knew that I wanted to play a role in the community in addition to whatever job I take on. Although finding work has been my priority--I can't stay here without a job--the whole community change thing has been in the back of my mind. I moved out to Harlem two weeks ago. I'm in one of the worst neigborhoods I've ever lived in but I don't feel out of my element. Last week I did the electric slide on 135 with hundreds of people during Harlem Week. I'm surrounded by black people--my people--soul food, stores that don't take credit, streets that are pitch black past 11pm. I love it. Still I...

Well New York, tt's been a rocky one but we've made it to two months. Already I see that you are trying to get rid of me, but I'll be faithful and love you because I know I was meant to be here. All the afternoons in the parks, late nights walking from midtown to the bus, all the millions of people that have a part with you I'm gonna stay true. I'm gonna stick this out with you. We'll see where I am by the end of the month. The internship has ended and I've had a lot of time on my hands. Last week I took a lot of down time and got a lot of rest, which was good. I was going to head to Boston to get away for a bit. After some serious encouragement from a person that I consider my professional mentor, I sense that there is a greater ray of hope for me in the job market here than I once did. I want to take the time to thank Bill Heyman and his team at Heyman Associates for spoiling me to death. They put me up in a corner office with a great view of the Empire S...